Fluid handling device



Jan. 23, 1951 M. HARVEY ET AL FLUID HANDLING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1946 :IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA "IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII m I w m E INVENWPS L150 44. #HEVE) HOMER ll/I. ##ZQVEV v HTTOPNEV Jan. 23,1951 HARVEY ET AL 2,538,835

FLUID HANDLING DEVICE Filed Oct. 16, 1946 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IIIrlIllIlI/l.

. /N|/EN70,P5

450 M. #02145) HOME/2 M. #021 5 K %"WW QTTOENEV Jan. 23, 1951 1.. M. HARVEY El AL FLUID HANDLING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 16, 1946 .93 wmvraes AvlV/r/ ,QTTOENEV Patented Jan. 23, 1951 FLUID HANDLING DEVICE Leo M. Harvey and Homer M. Harvey, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application October is, 194.6, Serial No. 7 03.572

1 Claim. (Cl. 285-963) This invention relates to a fluid handling device, it being a general object of the invention to provide a device suitable for use in connection with plumbing fixtures such as a sink, tub, or basin, and which is supplied with fluid from a plurality of'conduits or supply pipes, that is operable to mix such fluids in any desired proportion under control of a flow regulator.

It is common, where fixtures such as sinks, tubs, or basins are employed, to pipe both hot and cold water to the fixture and then to provide faucets individually controlling the hot and cold water and, in some cases, delivering the water from both faucets through a single spout.

Installations of this character are not altogether satisfactory in that it is difficult to obtain the desired amount of flow at the desired temperature, since to get the desired flow at the desired temperature it is necessary to regulate the faucets to adjust both of these factors. Furthermore, where faucets are incorporated into a unit difficulty is encountered in installation if the supply lines or pipes have not been accurately positioned, and further. such unitary devices, when provided, generally involve complicated castings and are expensive and difficult of manufacture.

A general object of this invent on is to provide a flow handling device applicable to supply pipes, as for instance, a hot water pipe and a cold water pipe, and including a mixing or regulating valve that can be easily set or adjusted to gain any desired mixture of hot and cold water, and further including a flow control valve which is conveniently operable to gain any desired flow of the mixture for which the regulating valve is set. With the structure of the present invention. where a predetermined mixture of hot and cold water is desired, the

mixing or regulating valve can be set to deliver effectively the proper mixture and can thereafter be left in that position while the control valve is opened and closed at will.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device of the general character referred to involving unique couplers by which the device is connected with supply pipes and which are adjustable or variable to compensate for misalignment or improper positioning of the supp y p pe.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fiow handling device of the general character referred to wherein a plurality of fixed parts including the essential fixed parts of the structure are formed separately and in a most economical manner and are permanently assembled by brazing to form a permanent rigid integral unit. In the preferred form of the invention the several principle fixed parts are individually formed, utilizing a minimum amount of material, and when fully assembled they are joined or united by furnace brazing.

The various objects and features of our invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of typical preferred forms and applications of our invention, throughout which description-reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a typical form of device provided by this invention. Fig. 2' is anenlarged plan section taken substantially as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 2, showing parts of the operating members broken away to illustrate the construction. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 44 on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan section taken as indicated by line 55 on Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 6-45 on Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a plan section taken as indicated by line l,.lon Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 88 on Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 99 on Fig. 2. Fig. 10 is a View similar to Fig. '7 showing the ports illustrated therein fully registered, and Fig. 11 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 8 showing the ports illustrated therein fully registered. Fig. 12 is a view illustrating a modified form of the invention showing the manner in which it is applicable to a fixture. Fig. 13 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is an enlarged plan section taken as in dicated by line l4-I4 on Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a vertical or longitudinal sectional view of part of the structure illustrated in Fig. 14, and Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line l6l6 on Fig. 15.

The fluid handling device of the present invention is applicable to a hot water supply pipe H and acold water supply pipe C and it maybe mounted. on a wall or in a suitable part of a fixture so that it isoperable to deliver fluid in the desired manner. In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings one form of the invention is shown carried by pipes H and C in the face F of a wall W, which; wall may be considered as occurring behind' -a; ;fixture such as a tub, basin or bow-l,

whereas in Figs. 12 and 13 of the drawings we show a form of the invention applied to a panel P which may be a part of a tub, bowl or fixture. In the latter application the device may be supported partially or wholly by the fixture and does not depend upon the supply pipes for support.

The form of the invention which is illustrated in Figs. :1 to ;1l, inclusive, involves, generally, :a housing A, a'coupler B including a part If: applicable to a supply pipe such as the hot water pipe H, and a part I I carrying the part IB and carried by the housing A, means D releasably connecting the housing A and the part E of means B, a coupler E including a part [2 "applicable to-a supply pipe such as a cold water pipe C, and .a part l3 carrying the part |-21-and carriedrlgythe housing A, means D releasably connecting the housing A and the partl2 of means E, a mixing valve G carried by the :housing, a conduit J con- -ducting fluidirom :coupler B tocthe mixing ,va'ive 7G, a iconduitiK conducting fluid: ironrthe coupler E: toithezmixingrvalvelGraicontrol valve L: carried :by ;the z'housing 'A, ia:conduitl-M conductingi'fluicl ffrom'the ,mixing valve G to the :control valve? L,

-,- asdelivery: spout N carried by the, housing :and-a conduit 0 condnctingtfiuid from the COIltTOtNZ-lve L: tothe spout N.

The housing *A :when :provided' is preferably a .sshell like l element :or structure housing or sup- ;porting' the various other elements of ;the device. In.-the-:particular formsof the invention; shown in the drawings: thehousing A isamelengategShelllike structure designed :l'zO be arranged ihorizonzltallyg-and against the face F of awall W. in *thedrawings the 7 housing is shown ZELST including -a-rfront ii5, top andbottom sides'iiiand ill-espec- 1tively, rand ends 18. The coupler B and the "releasable connecting. means Dl'are shownlocated -;at the'lefthand endportionsof the housingwhile the :coupler E and :the ireeasable connectin :means Diare shownllocated "at 'the -righthand -end portion ofithehousing A. :The spoutvN is 'located'midway between the ends of the-housing "The particular housing :construction of :the present invention is simple and iinexpensivecof iconstruction andis open at the :back which fits z-against the-:wallIW so that its interior isrea'd'ily accessible 'to enable thevarious other elements *tobe assembled into it :as will 'be hereinafter described.

ThecouplerBiocated at one endof the. housing A serves as a means 'for mounting the device or for securingit in the desired positionrelative tothe wail W-or'thelike, and it also serves'asya ffiuid connection betweenzthe hot water supply pipeH and the con'duitfJ which extends :to the vmixing valveG. Part 'l.l ofithe coupler B is in 'the'form o'fa cylindrical casefixed'inthe, housing to extend from the (front wall thereof rearwardly in the housing-to the backt-thereoi where it-'isopen. The forward end of the cylindrical :case M isfixed or made secureto theifrontlfi :of the housing A by the brazingoperation hereinafter described. The conduit J extends between or connects the coupler B and themixing valve G and where these elements are located close to each other,-as i1lustrated'in"Figs. 6 and 8 of'the drawings, the conduit J maybe a short part in Ether-nature of a nipp!e,-an'd;may, if 'desired,'be

*formed integral with or as a part of either the "coupler or the mixing valve. In the drawings the conduit J is shown as a separate or individual part inserted between the coupler and the mix- =ing valve and it'is bonded or'in'tegrally joined with the coupler and mixing valve by the brazing operation hereinafter described. In accordance with our arrangement of parts the conduit J connects into one side of the cylindrical case H at a point about midway between the ends of the case.

The part 10 of means B is applicable to the supply pipe H and is carried in the case i l. The part ii is in the nature of a plug fitting snugly in'the case H and in its preferred form it is in the nature of a spool having heads 20 at its ends joined by a central or middle portion 2| of re- :duceddiameter. The heads of the member ID slidably fit the case l and are sealed therein by .suitable sealing rings 22, the fit and sealing rings =-being such as to allow the member I!) to be freely :rotatedan theicase ll while a tight sealing engagement is maintained between the parts The reduced -middle portion 2! of the member It extending between the heads 2!] forms an annular chamber 23 within the-case i i andthe ;.parts .are related-;and proportioned so {that the chamber 23 isiinocmrnunication with thGQOIldllitiJ which connects into: theside of lthecase. l I.

The :plugmember [B of *the 'means B is in- :tended ,to be connected to or appfied to the rend of :the sup yyp pe H, and. since .the. supplmpipe H willcordinarily be provided-lat itsend with threads Zlwe prefer to provide athreaded socket j 25 inthe rear-end oof gthezmemher it -;to receive the threaded end Qfl ipeflfi. The plug member 10 .is ported to connect the inner .end of :the threaded :socket .-2 5 with rthe .,.charnber i2 3 and =,to assure ff-ree .ilow we preferably provide a- -plu- ;ralityl;of radial ports 26 ;;connecting ,the 1-.inncr -jendgof :the socket 25 .-with;;the; chamber-23.

In accordance with our invention the socket 25, Whl0h receives vthe p pe '11, is not formefd :concentric with the plug l G or the: case I l, but rather isoffset or. iormedeccentricto these-parts, making it possible -,to shift :;the :position of :the housingA relative to the pipe Hzhy turninszthe plug Iii in the case H. In-applying the plug I 0 of means B :to the-gp-pe iH a-suitable tool cor Wrenchis preferably appied to ;the :middle 1 portio.n 2| of the-plug so ;that the hEEE'dJBl'ldSLfiIf-B not mutilated and the plug is rotatedctopaznosition :omthecend-nf the pipe H where. itggproperly registers with the case i I i which is fixed: in the housing A.

The releasable connecting ymeans D' serves to connect-the plug {H} :with the housingjA. The rmeansiD I involves primarily a 'clamp screwlha'v- ;ing;.ashank ;28 threaded into a socket zaformc'd r in the outer end of plug member 19 of means .B. in :theiorm of :the 1 invention illustrated the -means;D,includes-a clamp plate :33 engaged by :the :head r-3l of thevscrew and ;.bearing on "(the girontrfaceof theiront=i5 of housingA. lttwill be: apparent that-when the plug-part Hlof; means Bhas heenjapplied to :the pipe H and thehousjing ;-has rbeenimanipulated so that the .-plug are slides into the case ll,:as'shown-in*Fig 8, the :;screw of meansjD can be appliedito clampnthe housing inwardly or rearwar'dly so that it bears firmly against the face? of wall-W.

'The coupler E provided-at-the other end "of ithehousing A serves to connect 1 the swd vice t0 "the supply pipe 'C-and "also-'ser-vesas a conductor carrying fluid from thepipc Cto the conduit'K which extends from the coupler E to the mixing valve G. The means E. corresponds inform "and construction with the'means B hereinabove described in detail, ,thepart l-2 corresponding ito part 10 =-and-=the-part 13 corresponding "to-part II. The conduit K connects into the side of the part l3 intermediate its ends like conduit J connects into the side of part II, except that conduit K instead of being located midway between the top and bottom of the housing A is located adjacent or close to the bottom I! of housing A, as clearly shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

The releasable connecting means D that con: ples the housing to the means E by connecting the front l of the housing to the plug part l2 of means E corresponds in construction and operation with the means D hereinabove described.

The mixing valve G includes, generally, a body 32, a core 33 rotatable in the body, a cap 34 applied to the outer or open end of-the body, a stem 35 projecting from the core to extend through the cap and an operating member 36 on the outerend of the stem. In accordance with the preferred arrangement of parts the body 32, which is an eongate cylindrical part rotatably carrying the plug 33 is preferably arranged to extend vertically or so that its axis extends in a direction at right angles to those of the couplers hereinabove described.

The body 32 of the valve is preferably carried by the housing A by being made secure-to or by being bonded to the bottom I! of the housing A while the upper end of the body 32 is free of the housing and is in register with an opening 31 in the top |6 of the housing. The conduit J connects into one side of the body 32 through an inlet port 42 at a point about midway between the ends of the body and an outlet port 38 is provided in the body 32 at a point diametrically opposite the point where the conduit J connects into the body. The conduit M can nects with port 38 and extends to the control valve L. The conduit K delivering fluid from means E connects into the side of the body below the port 38 through an inlet port 43 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The core 33 of the mixing valve G is rotatably supported in the bore or opening 48 of the body and it is shaped or ported to provde the desired communication between the conduits that connect with the body. The valve includes stop means limiting rotation of the core in the body.

The stopmeans shown in the drawings involves a stop pin I53 carried by the body to project into the bore thereof and a recess in the side of the core opposite the stop pin forming stop shoulders I 5| and |52 which cooperate with the pin. In the case illustrated the core 33 has a central opening or chamber 4|, an inlet port 42* located to cooperate with port 42, an inlet port 43 located to cooperate with port 43, and an outlet port 38 located to cooperate with port 38. V The ports 42 43 and 38" are all in communication with chamber 4| so that they are interconnected thereby.

The port 33 is of substantial extent circumferentially of the plug so that it is at all times in communication with outlet port 38. Ports 42 and 43 are angularly related, as will be seen from a comparison of Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, so that when the plu is positioned as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings each is in communication with its corresponding inlet port. When the plug is rotated clockwise from the position illustrated port 43 moyes to out out flow from port 43 while port 42 moves to increase flow from port 42, and when port 42 is in full communication with port 42, port 43 is cut off from port 43. When the plug is rotated in the opposite direction the reverse is true, that is,

flow is increased between ports 43 and 43 until there is full flow while ports 42 and 42 are closed down until flow is fully cut off. It will thus be apparent that by rotating the plug 33 to the proper rotative position in the body 32 we are able togain any desired mixture of hot water from conduit J with cold water from conduit K. The mixture of hot and cold water is always free to pass out of the valve G through the port 38 to be conducted by conduit M to the control valve L.

The cap 34 of valve G is threaded or otherwise secured to the outer or open end of the body 32 to retain the plug in the body and the stem 35 passes through the cap and is sealed therewith by a suitable sealing ring 50. The operating member 36 provided on the stem 35 includes a nose-shaped part 5| secured to the outer end of the stem by a screw 52 or the like, and a handle 53 projecting from the part 5|, as clearly show throughout the drawings.

The control valve L is fixed in the housing A by being carried by and bonded to conduits K, M-and O, and also to the case I3 of means E, as clearly shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The valve L includes a body 60 disposed relative to means E in the same manner that valve G is disposed relative to means B, and a closure 6| operable in the body 6!] and carried by a stem 62 projecting through a cap 63 provided on the body. The stem 62 carries an operating member 64.

The body 68 is designed to handle flow between conduits M and O- and has a transverse partition 65 which divides it into upper and lower chambers 66 and 61, respectively. The lower chamber 61 i-s'in communication with conduit M while the upper chamber is in communication with conduit 0. The closure 6| is carried on the inner end of stem 62 to cooperate with the partition 65 and the stem 62 has a. suitable thread 68 operating in the cap 53 so that when the stem is rotated the closure 6| is moved relative to the partition 65. The stem can be rotated so that the closure engages the partition and shuts ofi. all flow through the valve L, or it can be lifted to any desired position above the partition to allow the desired amount of flow through the valve L. The upper end of body 60 is free and registers with an opening 31 similar to openin 31 above described, and the cap 63 carries a sealing ring 5|! sealing around the stem 62. The operating member 64 for valve L may be of the same form or construction as that employed in connection with the valve G above described.

The delivery spout N is located midway between the valves G and L and in the form illustrated it involves a tubular duct or spout proper having an extension ill at its inner end rotatably carried in a holder 82 fixed in the housing A. The spout 88 can be of any suitable length and may be shaped in any suitable manner, a conventional spout being shown in the drawings. The holder 82 is a cylindrical part fixed in the body A by being bonded to the conduits O and M and it is closed at its lower end, its upper end being open to receive the extension 8|. A sleeve 85 is rotatably carried on the extension where it is retained by a snap ring 86 and threads onto the holder 82 to retain the extension 8| in the holder. A sealing ring 87 is provided to seal the extension 8| with the holder. The extension 8| has a central fluid passage 88 in communication with the spout and a plurality of radial outlet ports 89 are provided in the :extenSion 8 I -.communicating with an inlet port 1:391:11. the holder 82. JIhe conduit 0 isconnected :with the, holder 8.2 to be in communication with *th-e inletport-90.

:In :accordance with your, present invention the various partsabove-:described are formed separately and in the most advantageous and ecoznomical "manner. For instance, =many of :the parts-may be;-screw machineproducts and the :conduits referred to imay be simplelengths-of,

tubing. We establish the principal fixed parts :asra rigid-.or;-integral unit; by assembling'them together in the housing A withsuitable bonding :material-at the; points where they are to.,be .con-

nected and we then subject the assembled,

rstructure toheat treatment comm0n1y;known; as ifurnace brazing. Through this construction we --.bond the-parts H and i s-of meansrBrandflto :thehousL-i-e' Atw'nile the conduits'are bondedito x-t-heparts ,thatthey connect with-that is,,con-

duit J is bonded to part-H and body, 32 while :conduits'K and M are bonded to-body BZ-and'also ftobod-yifill. -;Body -32 is bonded to the bottom I! of:the;housing while body-:Gflis bonded to con- :duit K and member i3, ,bhfi holder 82 being :bonded to conduitM and to theconduit O which is also bonded-to body 60.

;By employing "furnace brazing in'the'manner :above-described We -j0in-the parts mentioned in "an-.efiecti-ve dependable manner at axminimum of cost, and: so-that. the several parts are permanent- ;lyialigned-and fixed .together requiring no further ,-operationonadiustment.

:In theform of thein-vention illustrated: in Figs.

;12',to 16,*inclusive, we provide aform of construc- 1 The valve G insteadof terminatin 'or-being closed-at its lower end is'provided-with threads 100 at the lower end Ofbody 32 suitable for making connectionwitha fluid supply pipe. The up- ,peuend portionof body 32' passes-through the plate P and is threaded to carry retainer -nuts .lfll asclearly showninFig. 13. Thebodyfill of valve L :has its lower end threaded at [0,2 for ,connection with asupply pipe and it has its up- Per end extended and threaded .to pass :through the plateP andto-carry clamp "nutslfl3. .The sspoutN .is .bonded to. andisupportedcby conduits M' :and .0" and jit has a holder -82' ypassing through'the plate andthreaded to carry acJarnp .nut H0. Asuitable shield HE'may be provided at the;top of the plate P where the several parts ;..above,described pass through the plate.

The mixing valve'G" has a chamber 4!;inthe rotatablercore'33 and the bod 32 has :an inlet port 43 communicating with conduit K and an :outlet port 38 communicating with conduitM'. .An outlet port 38 is provided in the core to-cooperate with port '38. 'Port 38 is movablerela- .tive to port-38 to controlfiow between the chamber M and port 38. A recess or longitudinal port IZDisprovided inone side of the core to be .circumferentially, spaced from port 38";and ex- :tendslongitudinally of the core so that it can be rpositionedto connect portsf43' and 3B,. Itiszto .bepbserved ,thata wall part [2| is ,leftlbetween :ports 38" and 1293 and it is this wall portion which is variedas togposition relative toport 38 to vary the mixture delivered to conduit M. '.-It is to be understood, of course, that the structure just described may include operating members36' and 64' and various other parts such as seals-and structural; features corresponding to those incorporated in the structure first described.

.Having describedonly typical preferred forms "and applications of .our invention,we do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish'to reserve to ourselves any variations or modifications that may; appear to those skilled in the artand fall within the ;.scope of the following claim.

WHav-ing described our invention, We claim:

A coupler for-connecting a fluid handling unit and a supply pipe including, acylindrical'case fixed in the unit and having aside outlet, a-plug rotatable in the case and having an eccentric pipe socket in One end and a pair of spaced heads-having sealing engagement with the case at opposite sides of said outlet and forming a chamberpassring fluid from the socketto said outlet.

LEO M.-HARVEY. HOMER lVI. HARVEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordinth'e The of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name .;Date

531,585 Cole -Dec. 25, .1894 925,436 ,Kenly June.l5, 1909 31,601,979 Norden 1 Oct-5, 1926 1,664,901 Rosenbaum Apr. :3, 1928 -l,730,455 Glauber. Oct. 8,111929 1,841,737 Judell Jan. 19, 1932 1,916,553 Bersted. July 4, 1933 2,214,619 Kriegerv Sept. .10, 1940 Herring -Feb.12,;1943 

